The beginnings of

 residential childcare

in England and Wales

 

 

The 1901 census gives an indication of the residential childcare institutions already in place as the twentieth century began.

 

You can also have a look at institutions in the 1911 census here (far more institutions just 10 years later)

 

The links take you to other pages within this website

 

 

 

Central England

Eastern England

Northern England

South East England

South West England

Wales

Isle of Man / Channel Islands

 

 

 

 

 

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Central England

 

Aston Union Cottage Homes, Erdington, Birmingham

 

Beeston Orphanage, Nottinghamshire

 

Blue Coat School, Colmore Row, Birmingham

 

Chesterfield Union Industrial School, Newfold Road, Chesterfield More on industrial schools

 

Children's Emigration Homes, St Luke's Road, Birmingham

 

Cottage Homes, Arnos Lane, Wednesfield

 

Cottage Homes, Countesthorpe

 

Desford Industrial School, Ratby, Market Bosworth More on industrial schools

 

Industrial School, Gem Street, Birmingham

 

Industrial School, the Shawberry, Fillongley

 

Midland Orphanage, Lenton, Nottingham

 

Midland Truant School for Boys, Beacon Street, Lichfield

 

Nazareth House, St Sepulchre, Northampton

 

North Staffordshire School for the Blind and Deaf, Parkhall, Stoke on Trent

 

Nottingham training institution for Pauper Children, Hartley Road, Nottingham

 

Old Swinford Hospital for Orphans (Boys), Hagley Road, Stourbridge

 

Poor Law School, Wigmore, West Bromwich

 

 

Princess Alice Orphanage, New Oscott, Sutton Coldfield

 

Railway Servants' Orphanage, Ashbourne Road, Derby

 

Reformatory School for Juvenile Delinquents, Saltley, Birmingham

 

Royal Albert Orphan Asylum, Hernwick Road, Worcester

 

Royal Institution for Deaf and Dumb Children, Church Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham

 

Royal Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, Derby

 

Royal Orphanage/ Wolverhampton Orphan Asylum, Goldthorn Hill, Wolverhampton

 

St Michael’s Home for Boys, Pelsall (Founded 1901) 

 

Sir Josiah Mason's Orphanage, Bell Lane, Erdington, Birmingham

 

Stafford Industrial Boys' School, Cheadle More on industrial schools

 

Standon Boys' Home / Industrial School, Standon, Stone More on industrial schools

 

St Philip Neri's Orphanage for Boys, Birmingham (founded 1861)

 

The Orphanage (RC), Southam, Rugby

 

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Eastern England

 

 

Hope House Orphanage, Ipswich (1875-1940)

 

St John's Home for Boys and Girls, Bloomfeld Street, Ipswich

 

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Northern England

 

Abbot Memorial Industrial School, Durham Road, Gateshead More on industrial schools

 

Adel Reformatory (for boys), Wharfedale More on reformatories

 

Albert Industrial School, Corporation Road, Birkenhead More on industrial schools

 

Ardwick Green Industrial School, 77 Ardwick Green, Manchester More on industrial schools - More on Manchester homes

 

Ashburton Industrial Home, Ashburton Road, Tyneside

 

Barnes Industrial School for Boys, Didsbury Road, Heaton Norris More on industrial schools

 

Beacon Lane Orphanage (RC), Beacon Road, Liverpool

 

Birkdale Farm School / Reformatory, Ainsdale, Southport More on reformatories

 

Bishop Brown's Memorial Industrial School, High Street, Stockport More on industrial schools

 

Bishop O'Reilly Memorial Poor Law School (RC), Honeygreen Road, Liverpool

 

Blackburn Orphanage

 

 

 

Blue Coat Hospital, School Lane, Liverpool

 

Bolton Industrial Reformatory for Boys, Lostock Junction, Bolton More on reformatories

 

Boys' Charity School, East Parade, Sheffield

 

Boys' Industrial School, Offerton More on industrial schools

 

Boys' Industrial School, Marygate, York More on industrial schools

 

Boys' Orphanage, Headingley, Leeds

 

Boys' Truant Industrial School, Marborough Terrace, Hull More on industrial schools

 

Buckley Hall Orphanage for Roman Catholic Boys, Wardleworth, Rochdale

 

Calder Farm Reformatory School (for boys), Hopton More on reformatories

 

Castle Howard Reformatory School (for boys), Welburn, Malton More on reformatories

 

Certified Industrial School, Boughton, Chester More on industrial schools

 

Certified Industrial School for Boys, 95 Everton Terrace, Liverpool More on industrial schools

 

Chadwick's Orphanage, Haulgh, Bolton

 

Cherrytree Orphanage, Totley

 

Children's Convalescent Home, Meol's Drive, West Kirby

 

Chorlton Union Cottage Homes, Styal, Wilmslow

 

Cumberland County Industrial School, Cockermouth, Cumbria More on industrial schools

 

Eden's Orphanage, Astley Bridge, Bolton

 

Edgworth Orphanage / Children's Home, Bolton (1872)

 

Foresters' Orphanage, Bridlington

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Girls' Industrial School, Northumberland Terrace, Liverpool More on industrial schools

 

Halifax Orphanage, Savile Park

 

Harris Orphanage, Fulwood, Preston

 

Henshaw's Blue Coat School (for boys), Horsedge Street, Oldham

 

Heswall Orphanage, Cheshire

 

Holly Mount Poor Law School, Tottington

 

Holy Trinity Certified Industrial School, 77 Grafton Street, Liverpool More on industrial schools

 

Home of Good Shepherd Industrial School, Shebdon, Southowram More on industrial schools

 

Hull Seamen's and General Orphan Asylum, Spring Bank, Hull

 

Indefatigable (ship for training orphans of sailors), Birkenhead

 

Industrial School for Boys, Witton Gilbert, Chester le Street More on industrial schools

 

Industrial School for Boys and Girls, Jubilee Road, Newcastle upon Tyne More on industrial schools

 

Kirkdale Industrial School, Kirkdale, Liverpool More on industrial schools

 

Leeds Union Industrial School, Beckett Street, Leeds More on industrial schools

 

Liverpool Seamen's Orphan Institution, Orphan Drive, Newsham Park, Liverpool

 

Liverpool Farm School / Reformatory, Newton le Willows More on reformatories

 

Liverpool Truants' School, Hightown, Southport

 

Macclesfield Certified Industrial School, Brook Street, Macclesfield More on industrial schools

 

Major Street Ragged School, Liverpool (founded 1860) More on ragged schools

 

Manchester and Salford Reformatory, Blackley, Manchester More on reformatories

 

Manchester Female Orphan Home and Refuge

 

Manchester Industrial School for Girls, Northenden Road, Sale More on industrial schools - More on Manchester homes

 

Manchester Poor Law School, Chorley Road, Swinton More on Manchester homes

 

Manchester Warehousemen and Clerks' Orphanage, Cheadle Hulme

 

Miners' Orphanage, Bolsover

 

Nazareth House, Great Crosby

 

Nazareth House, Park Road North. Middlesborough

 

Nicholls Hospital, Hyde Road, Manchester

 

North Eastern Reformatory for Boys, Nedderton More on reformatories

 

North Lancashire Reformatory, Bleasdale, Garstang More on reformatories

 

Ormerod Convalescent Home, Lytham St Anne's

 

Ormskirk Union Workhouse Children's Wards, Wigan Road, Knowsley

 

Orphanage (girls), Faulkener Street, Liverpool

 

Orphans' Asylum, Melville Place, Liverpool

 

Orphans' Asylum (girls), Myrtle Street, Liverpool

 

Port of Hull Orphan Homes, Cottingham Road, Hull

 

Reformatory School (RC), Holme, Howden More on reformatories

 

Ripley Hospital for Orphans and Fatherless Children, Lancaster

 

Rochdale Union Cottage Homes, Middlewood

 

Royal Deaf and Dumb Institution, Chester Road, Old Trafford

 

St Anne's Industrial School, West Lane, Freshfield, Southport More on industrial schools

 

St Elizabeth's Industrial School for Girls (RC), 64 Breckfield Road South, Liverpool More on industrial schools

 

St George's Industrial School for boys (RC), 137a West Derby Rd, Liverpool More on industrial schools

 

St Joseph's Home and Reformatory for Girls (RC), Howard Road, Sheffield

 

St Joseph's Industrial School, Carmel Road, Darlington More on industrial schools

 

St Joseph's Industrial School for Boys, Richmond Grove, Manchester More on industrial schools - More on Manchester homes

 

St Joseph's Industrial School for Girls, Victoria Road, Rusholme More on industrial schools

 

St Joseph's Orphanage (RC), Theatre Street, Preston

 

St Mary's Convent and Orphanage (RC), Richmond Hill, Leeds

 

St Vincent Boys' Home (RC), Garstang Road, Fulwood More on St Vincent de Paul

 

St Vincent de Paul Home for Boys (RC), 105 Shaw Street, Liverpool - More on St Vincent de Paul

 

School for Deaf and Dumb, Melville Place, Liverpool

 

Sculcoates Union Cottage Homes, Hessle

 

Shadwell Industrial School (for boys), Shadwell Lane, Wetherby More on industrial schools

 

Sheffield Union Children' Home, Smilter Lane, Sheffield

 

Southampton - Industrial School training ship, Alexandra Dock, Hull

 

Sunderland Orphanage

 

Teachers' Orphanage, Sunderland

 

West Derby Union Cottage Homes, Fazakerley

 

 

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South-east England

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actors' Orphanage, Croydon (1896)

 

Alexandra Orphanage, Hornsey Rise, Islington

 

All Saints Boys' Orphanage, Granville Park, Lewisham

 

All Saints Boy's Orphanage, 12, 13, 14 Gordon Square, Birchington

 

All Saints Boy's Orphanage, Granville Park & Lewisham Road, Lewisham

 

All Saints Convalescent Hospital, Meads, Eastbourne

 

All Saints Home for Married Women & Infants, Holyrood House, The Avenue, Beckenham

 

Asylum for Fatherless Children, Purley (founded 1844)

 

Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb Children of the Poor, Victoria Road, Isle of Thanet

 

Babies' Castle, Hawkhurst (Dr Barnardo's)

 

Bethnal Green Poor Law Union School, Leystonstone

 

Boys' Home / Industrial School, Regents Park Road, St Pancras More on industrial schools

 

Boys' Home Reformatory, Spanish Road, Wandsworth Common More on reformatories

 

Boys' Home, Stepney Causeway, Stepney

 

 

Boys’ Industrial Home, Shaftesbury House, Perry Rise, Forest Hill

 

Boys' Industrial School, Southwark Street, Southwark More on industrial schools

 

Boys’ Orphanage, Montagne House, Dartmouth Hill, Greenwich

 

Boys’ Orphan House, Southwark House, St Lawrence, Ramsgate

 

British Orphan Asylum, Slough

 

Brixton Orphanage (for 300 fatherless girls), 53-57 Barrington Road, Lambeth

 

Carter Boys' Home, High Street, Clapham

 

The Children's Home, Parrock Hall, Parrock Road, Gravesend

 

Cholera Orphan Home, Richmond

 

Church of England Home for Waifs & Strays, 3 Biggin St, Dover More on the Waifs and Strays

 

Church Missionaries Children's Homes, Limpsfield

 

Colony for Epileptics (adults and children), Chalfont St Peter, Amersham

 

Commercial Travellers' School for Orphan and Necessitous Children, Hatch End, Pinner

 

Convalescent Home for Children (RC), Lawn House, Grosvenor Place, Margate More on convalescent homes

 

Convent and Orphanage of the Sisters of Bethany, Church Road, Boscombe

 

Convent of Notre Dame, St George's Road, Southwark

 

Convent of the Sacred Heart Certified School for RC children, Hassett Road, Homerton

 

Cowley Industrial School, Headington More on industrial schools

 

Cripples’ Nursery, 10 Sea View Terrace, Margate

 

 Deptford Orphanage and Home for Friendless Girls

 

Dr Barnardo's Village Homes for Destitute Girls, Barkingside

 

Duke of York's Royal Military Asylum for Children of Soldiers, Cheltenham Terrace, Chelsea

 

East Kent Industrial Home, Dover House, 51 Grange Road, Ramsgate More on industrial schools

 

East London Industrial School, Poison Street, Lewisham More on industrial schools

 

Edmonton Union Chase Farm School, The Ridgeway, Enfield

 

Farningham Home for Little Boys, Horton Kirby

 

Feltham Industrial School, Staines More on industrial schools

 

Female Orphan Asylum, Beddington Park, Croydon

 

Female Orphan Asylum, Brighton (founded 1822)

 

Field Lane Certified Industrial School for Boys, Hillfield Road, Hampstead More on industrial schools

 

Forest Gate Workhouse School, 95 Forest Lane, Forest Gate

 

Fortescue House for Boys, London Road, Twickenham

 

Foundling Hospital, Guildford Street, St Pancras

 

Freemens' Orphan School, Ferndale Road, Lambeth

 

Girls’ Club & Home, 26 Simpsons Rd, Bromley

 

Girls’ Home, 1 Blythe Hill, Catford

 

Girl's Industrial Home, 16 Rojack Road, Forest Hill More on industrial schools

 

Girls' Industrial School and Home, St Mary's Road, Ealing More on industrial schools

 

Girls' Orphan Home, 64-74 Lewisham Rd, Lewisham

 

Good Templar and Temperance Orphanage

 

Gordon Boys' Home, Chobham, Chertsey

 

Gordon's Boys' Orphanage, 7 Biggin St, Dover

 

Hackney Union Cottage Homes (Sidney Road Children's Homes), Sidney Road, Homerton

 

Hackney Union Training School, Brentwood

 

Hanwell Poor Law School for Pauper Children, Hanwell

 

Hertford Reformatory School, Chapman End, Hertford More on reformatories

 

Highbury Truant School, Highbury Grove, Islington

 

Holburn Union (St George's) Workhouse School, London Road, Wimbledon

 

Holme Cowe Industrial Truant School, Twickenham

 

Home & Infirmary for sick children, Sydenham Road, Sydenham

 

Home and School for Little Boys, Leopold House, 199 Burdett Road, Stepney (Dr Barnardo's)

 

Home for afflicted orphans, Granville Rd, Broadstairs

 

Home for Destitute Boys / Essex Industrial School, Rainsford Road, Chelmsford More on industrial schools

 

Home for Little Cripples, Grove Road, Bethnal Green

 

Home for Orphan Boys, Hextable, Sutton at Stow, Dartford

Home for Orphan Boys, Swanley

 

Home for the Fatherless, 76 Lewisham Road, Greenwich

 

Homes for Little Boys, South Darenth, Horton Kirby

 

Home for Working Boys, 85 Beresford Street, Woolwich

 

Hornchurch Cottage Homes, Hornchurch

 

Infant Orphan Asylum, Wanstead (founded 1827)

 

Infant Pauper Asylum, Surrey House, London

 

Institute for the daughters of missionaries, Walthamstow Hall, Sevenoaks

 

Isle of Thanet Workhouse School, Thanet

 

Islington Workhouse School, Andover Row, Hornsey Road

 

Jew's Hospital and Orphan Asylum, Knights Hill Road, West Norwood

 

John Groom's Orphanage, Clacton on Sea

 

Kent County Industrial School, Kingsnorth, Ashford More on industrial schools

 

Kidbrook Girls’ Home, Old Dover Rd, Blackheath

 

King Edward Industrial School for Girls, Andrews Road, Hackney More on industrial schools

 

King Edward's Home for Destitute Boys, Wormley Hill, Witley

 

King Edward's Orphanage, St George's Road, Southwark

 

London Asylum for Orphans, Hackney (founded 1813)

 

London Orphans' Asylum, Watford

 

Mayford Industrial School, Mayford, Woking More on industrial schools

 

Metropolitan and City Police Orphanage, Wellesley House, Hampton Road, Twickenham

 

Metropolitan Asylum School for Idiots, Darenth

 

Metropolitan Infirmary for Children Northumberland Road, Margate

 

National Industrial Home for Crippled Boys, Wrights Lane, Kensington

 

National Refuges House for Girls, Sudbury Hall, Harrow

 

Nazareth House, Bexhill

 

Nazareth House, Cowley Road, Oxford

 

Nazareth House, Hammersmith Road, Hammersmith

 

Nazareth House, Isleworth

 

Nazareth House, Lawrence Road, Portsmouth

 

Nazareth House, London Road, Southend on Sea

 

Orphan Working School, Maitland Park, St Pancras

 

Orphanage (Wesleyan), Victoria Park, Bethnal Green

 

Orphanage for Destitute Children, Randolph Gardens, Kilburn

 

Orphanage of Mercy - Home of the Sisters of the Church & Orphanage, Percy Road, Kilburn

 

Orphans’ Home, The Cedars, Overcliffe, Gravesend

 

Orphans’ Home, 72 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Road

 

Orphans' House, Austral Street, Southwark

 

Percy House Workhouse School, Twickenham Road, Brentford

 

Philanthropic Society's Farm School (reformatory), Redhill More on reformatories

 

Poor Law School, Bancroft Road, Stepney

 

Portsmouth Children's Home, St Mary's Road, Portsmouth (run by the Poor Law Union) - a history of this children's home is written up in The Homes on the Hill

 

Princess Louise Home, Gloucester Road, Kingston Upon Thames

 

Princess Mary Village Homes, Crouch Oak Road, Addlestone

 

Ragged School Union Children’s Holiday Home, Dover Road, Folkestone More on ragged schools

 

Reading and Wokingham District School for Pauper Children, Wargrave, Twyford, Wokingham

 

Reedham Asylum (for fatherless children), Reedham, Croydon

 

Rest Home for Girls, Elm Park Villa, The Elms, Ramsgate

 

Rochester & Chatham Industrial Home for Friendless Girls, 1 Ordnance Terrace, Chatham

 

Royal Albert Orphan Asylum, Portsmouth Road, Frimey

 

Royal Asylum of St Anne's, Redhill

 

Royal Caledonian Asylum (for the children of Soldiers and Sailors), Caledonian Road, Holloway

 

Royal Merchant Seamen’s Orphanage Royal Merchant Seamen’s Orphanage, Snaresbrook, London

 

Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum for fatherless daughters of Sailors, Soldiers and Marines, Wandworth Common

 

Saints Joseph and Anne Orphanage, Farnborough, Sevenoaks

 

School and home of the Convent of the Sisters of Providence, 198 Hampstead Hill, Hampstead

 

School for Paupers' Children, Kings Street, Hammersmith

 

School for the Indigent Blind, Lambeth Road, Southwark

 

Seamen’s Orphan Home, Portsmouth

 

Shaftesbury School Orphanage (for boys), Bisley, Chertsey

 

Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul Orphanage, Carlisle Place, Westminster More on St Vincent de Paul

 

Soldiers' Daughters' Home/Orphanage/Sailor Orphan Girls' School, Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead (founded 1829)

 

South Grove Home for Children of Poorer Clergy, Naval, Military etc., 10 Smith Grove, Tunbridge Wells

 

South Western Railway Servants’ Orphanage, Woking

 

St Agnes' Orphanage, Church Road, Walthamstow

 

St Barnabas Orphanage, west Chiselhurst

 

St Charles' Poor Law School, Weald Lane, Brentwood

 

St Edward's Reformatory School, Green Street, East Ham More on reformatories

 

St Edward's School for Orphan Sons of the Clergy, St Thomas Hill, St Dunstan

 

St John's Industrial School, Church Lane, Walthamstow More on industrial schools

 

St Joseph's Home for Boys, West Grinstead

 

St Joseph's House (Little Sisters of the Poor), Portobello Road, Kensington

 

St Joseph's RC School, Brook Green, Hammersmith

 

St Margaret's Convent Orphanage, East Grinstead

 

St Margaret's Industrial School, Mill Hill More on industrial schools

 

St Mary Magdalene’s Children’s Home, 23/5 East Cliff, Folkestone

St Mary’s Convalescent Home, Stone Rd, Broadstairs

 

St Mary's Industrial School, Wellesley Road, Croydon More on industrial schools

 

St Mary's Orphanage, (RC), North Hyde, Heston

 

St Michael’s Orphanage, Chiselhurst

 

St Nicholas Industrial School, Whitt Road, Manor Park, East Ham More on industrial schools

 

St Pancras Poor Law School, Leavesden, Watford

 

St Peter’s Orphanage & Sanatorium, Stone  St Peters, Broadstairs

 

St Stephens Industrial Home for Training Domestic Servants, 23/9 High Street, Lewisham

 

St Vincent de Paul's Orphanage, 9 Lower Seymour Street, Portman Square More on St Vincent de Paul

 

St Vincent Home for Boys, 337 Harrow Road, Paddington More on St Vincent de Paul

 

St Vincent's Industrial School (RC), Dartford More on St Vincent de Paul

 

St Vincent's School and Orphanage, Mill Hill More on St Vincent de Paul

 

Stockwell Orphanage, Clapham Road, Stockwell

 

Strand Union Workhouse School, Tanners Yard, Enfield

 

 

 

 

 

Temporary Home for Fallen & Destitute Women & Girls, 54 Hardy Street, Maidstone

 

Training Home for Girls, 22 Woodland Park Rd, Greenwich

 

Training Home for Orphan Girls, Folkestone Rd , Dover

 

Training Home for Weak Minded Boys, Bearsted House, Bearsted

 

Upper Norwood Convent and Orphanage, Central Hill, Upper Norwood

 

Upton House Truant Industrial School, Urswick Road, Homerton More on industrial schools

 

Victoria Orphanage, Shirland Road, Paddington

 

Victoria Seaside Orphans Rest, 1/2 Launceston Place, Dover

 

Walthamstow Truant School, 115 High Street, Walthamstow

 

Warren Farm School / Newhaven Union workhouse school, Rottingdean

 

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South West England

 

Bathwick Orphanage, Bath

 

Blue Maids' Orphanage / Bristol Asylum for Poor Orphan Girls, Stokes Croft Turnpike, Bristol (founded 1795)

 

Bristol Scattered Homes, Beaufort Road / Summerhill Road, Bristol

 

Clifton Certified Industrial School for Boys, Church Path, Bristol More on industrial schools

 

Devon and Cornwall Female Orphan Asylum, Plymouth

 

Herefordshire and District Working Boys Home and Industrial School, Bath Street, Hereford More on industrial schools

 

Home for the Boys of Bristol Union, Cumberland Road, Bristol

 

Keynsham Reformatory School, Keynsham More on reformatories

 

Mount Edgcombe Industrial School, Saltash More on industrial schools

 

Muller's Orphanage, Ashley Down, Bristol

 

New Orphan House, Ashley Down, Bristol

 

Reformatory School for Girls, Convent of the Good Shepherd, Arno's Court, Bath Road, Bristol More on reformatories

 

Royal British Female Orphan Asylum, Stoke Terrace, Stoke, Devonport, Plymouth

 

St Elizabeth's Industrial School for Roman Catholic Girls, Exeter Street, Salisbury More on industrial schools

 

St Elizabeth's Orphanage of Mercy, Eastcombe, Gloucestershire (founded 1800)

 

St Mary's Priory Orphans' Home, St Mary's Church, Torquay

 

St Vincent de Paul Orphanage, Elizabeth House, Lower Bullingham, Hereford More on St Vincent de Paul

 

Seamen’s Orphanage, Brixham, Devon

 

Somerset Industrial School for Boys, Lower Bristol Road, Bath More on industrial schools

 

West of England and South Wales Industrial School (RC), Cannington, Bridgwater

 

West of England Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, Yopsham Road, Exeter

 

Wiltshire Reformatory, Warminster (founded 1856) More on reformatories

 

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Wales

 

Aberdare Industrial School, Trecymon, Llwydcoed More on industrial schools

 

Clio - Industrial training ship, Menai Straits

 

Cottage Homes, Llantwitfardre, Llantrisant

 

Newport Union Caerleon School, Mill Street, Caerleon

 

Nazareth House, Blackweir, Cardiff

 

Pantasaph Orphanage, Holywell

 

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Isle of Man and Channel Islands

 

Industrial School, Strathallan, Douglas More on industrial schools

 

Jersey Industrial School, St Martins, Gory More on industrial schools

 

 

More pages of

ORPHANAGES and other institutions:

 

1901

1911

 

 

It was towards the end of the nineteenth century that the idea of providing residential care for children away from the workhouse really took hold in England and Wales.

 

Before this, residential institutions for children - orphanages and homes - were few and far between. A child finding him or herself destitute and living on the streets or our newly growing towns and cities was likely to stay that way unless they found themselves dragged off to the workhouse or the prisons.

 

It is hard to imagine this situation as we now take it for granted that children need specific welfare services and should have access to a roof over their heads and food in their mouths.

 

The philanthropic response

While social welfare is the remit of government these days, it was individual people who funded our first forays into residential childcare. These philanthropists - Thomas Coram, Dr Barnardo - who built our first orphanages at great personal expense.

 

The majority of this type of response came from the mid nineteenth century onwards. While much of it had a religious motivation, this was not exclusively so.

 

The local government response

Local government was structured differently pre-1930. A board of Guardians in each local union had responsibility for administering Poor Law regulations for their population. In the main, this focused solely on the building of a workhouse into which children were admitted along with the adults. It was not until the late nineteenth century that there was a mind change about workhouses and a strong move towards providing separate accommodation for children away from the adults. Initially this manifested as separate spaces and schooling within the workhouses, but, as the nineteenth century ended, more and more Poor Law Unions were investing in separate buildings known as cottage homes or scattered homes.

 

The result of these two different responses - the earlier philanthropic response being joined by the later local government response - was that the turn of the century was a 'boom time' for orphanages and homes. In the twentieth century we ran with the idea of separate residential accommodation for orphaned, destitute and abandoned children and other children in need and developed in the children's services element of state-provided socal care we see today.

 

 

More pages of

ORPHANAGES and other institutions:

 

1901

1911